Written Answers Wednesday 13 November 2008

Scottish Executive

2014 Commonwealth Games

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what part the voluntary sector will play in the creation of the 2014 Commonwealth Games legacy.

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what representation there will be from the voluntary sector on the 2014 Commonwealth Games Legacy Forum.

Stewart Maxwell: To help us create and deliver the Games Legacy Plan we have established a comprehensive games legacy group structure.

  Information regarding this structure - including an organogram, the remit and membership of the legacy groups with external membership - and the minutes of their meetings are published on the Scottish Government website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Sport/MajorEvents/Glasgow-2014/Commonwealth-games.

  We will use the opportunity of the games to help communities to rekindle their sense of pride and develop their own legacy to revitalise their community. In order to build a real, positive and lasting legacy we will promote local community ownership of the activities to keep them going.

2014 Commonwealth Games

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of any money obtained for the 2014 Commonwealth Games legacy will be returned to the voluntary sector in lieu of the money diverted for the 2012 London Olympics.

Stewart Maxwell: National lotteries funds are distributed in Scotland through the Big Lottery Fund, Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Screen, Heritage Lottery and sportscotland. The development of individual lottery programmes will depend on the level and timing of any funds returned to Scotland and will reflect the legacy ideas of young and old across Scotland, captured in our recent consultations, to deliver a positive, lasting legacy that Scotland can be proud of.

2014 Commonwealth Games

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role the 2014 Commonwealth Games legacy will play in tackling poverty and deprivation.

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role the 2014 Commonwealth Games legacy will play in improving economic performance.

Stewart Maxwell: The games have enormous potential to contribute to our overarching purpose to create a more successful country, with opportunities for all to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth. We are currently developing a Games Legacy Plan setting out how we aim to use the games to maximise these opportunities. The government’s interim Games Legacy Plan will be published in December this year, as a forerunner to a full legacy plan to be published in summer 2009.

2014 Commonwealth Games

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role community and voluntary organisations will play in tackling poverty and deprivation as part of the 2014 Commonwealth Games legacy.

Stewart Maxwell: To help us create and deliver the Games Legacy Plan we have established a comprehensive games legacy group structure.

  Information regarding this structure - including an organogram, the remit and membership of the legacy groups with external membership- and the minutes of their meetings are published on the Scottish Government website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/ArtsCultureSport/Sport/MajorEvents/Glasgow-2014/Commonwealth-games.

2014 Commonwealth Games

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role community and voluntary organisations will play in improving economic performance as part of the 2014 Commonwealth Games legacy.

Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17491 on 13 November 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

  The games legacy’s support in improving economic performance fits within the remit of the Wealthier and Fairer sub-group.

2014 Commonwealth Games

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role the 2014 Commonwealth Games legacy will play in protecting the environment.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government’s interim Games Legacy Plan will be published in December 2008, as a forerunner to a full legacy plan to be published in summer 2009. It will set out our overarching purpose and the outcomes we wish to see achieved from the games legacy.

  For the legacy, we are exploring a programme of actions that can be seen to derive from the games. It would relate to the role of greener actions in delivering sustainable economic development and would include actions on, for example, using waste as a resource, innovative land reclamation approaches, green tourism and an integrated ticketing scheme across the country by 2014.

2014 Commonwealth Games

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role community and voluntary organisations will play in protecting the environment as part of the 2014 Commonwealth Games legacy.

Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17494 on 13 November 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

  The games legacy’s support in protecting Scotland’s heritage fits within the remit of the Greener sub-group.

2014 Commonwealth Games

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role the 2014 Commonwealth Games legacy will play in supporting artistic endeavour.

Stewart Maxwell: The government’s interim Games Legacy Plan will be published in December 2008, as a forerunner to a full legacy plan to be published in summer 2009. It will set out our overarching purpose and the outcomes we wish to see achieved from the games legacy.

  To help promote cultural activity, we will deliver the games’ Cultural Programme, a wide ranging and imaginative cultural programme that will initially be linked to London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, it will then be centred around Glasgow 2014. The programme will seek to maximise the positive impact which imaginative initiatives, using sport, arts, culture and creativity, can have on people. The cultural programme will celebrate Scotland’s diverse and powerful cultural landscape and deepen and extend people’s engagement with and experience of culture. The Scottish Arts Council has recently appointed a Creative Programmer to take forward the development of this work.

2014 Commonwealth Games

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role community and voluntary organisations will play in supporting artistic endeavour as part of the 2014 Commonwealth Games legacy.

Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17498 on 13 November 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

  The Games legacy’s support of artistic endeavour fits within the remit of the Smarter sub-group.

2014 Commonwealth Games

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what strategy it has for community, charity and social enterprise ownership of 2014 Commonwealth Games legacy facilities.

Stewart Maxwell: Seventy per cent of the venues that will be used for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games are already in place. The post-games ownership and use of the new facilities which are yet to be built, are detailed in table 8.5a, theme 8 of the Candidate City Bid and can be found by following this link: http://www.thecgf.com/media/games/2014/G2014_CCF_Vol1-3.pdf .

  Most of the games venues will be owned by local authorities, predominantly Glasgow City Council, except the new Cultural and Entertainment Arena, which will be owned by SECC Ltd. The Games Village will form a mixed community of privately owned and socially rented units plus a care home in the heart of the Clyde Gateway and will contribute to the regeneration of the East End of Glasgow and the creation of a sustainable, vibrant new community.

  The Games Legacy Plan is still being developed but if this results in the construction of new facilities the ownership of those facilities will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

2014 Commonwealth Games

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role the 2014 Commonwealth Games legacy will play in tackling health inequalities.

Stewart Maxwell: The government’s interim Games Legacy Plan will be published in December this year, as a forerunner to a full legacy plan to be published in summer 2009. It will set out our overarching purpose and the outcomes we wish to see achieved from the games legacy.

  Health will be at the heart of the legacy; the ambition is to deliver a strong and clear message that Scotland is a truly modern, healthy society – that Scotland has put itself further on the path to a healthier future.

  A more successful Scotland will be one in which each and every one of us takes more responsibility for our own long-term health and wellbeing. We recognise that there are many determinants which enable people to make healthier and better choices – children’s early start in life, education, income, access to services and facilities, employment and volunteering opportunities can all have a significant impact.

  We are developing a programme designed to engage and galvanise people in Scotland, from all age groups, areas and social groupings, to develop long-term goals aimed at challenging themselves to achieve something new. This would be in activities linked to healthier lifestyles, especially physical activity, sport, learning new skills and volunteering.

2014 Commonwealth Games

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role community and voluntary organisations will play in tackling health inequalities as part of the 2014 Commonwealth Games legacy.

Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17540 on 13 November 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

  The games legacy’s support in tackling health inequalities fits within the remit of the healthier sub-group.

2014 Commonwealth Games

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role community and voluntary organisations will play in achieving health improvement as part of the 2014 Commonwealth Games legacy.

Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17540 on 13 November 2008. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

  The games legacy’s support in protecting Scotland’s health improvement fits within the remit of the healthier sub-group.

Alcohol Misuse

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any assessment of the success of alcohol referral schemes.

Shona Robison: There are a range of local alcohol referral, treatment and support services commissioned and funded by NHS boards and alcohol and drug action teams. It is for these bodies to ensure that these local programmes are effectively assessed and monitored and that local investment decisions are maximising the benefits to their local populations.

  At national level, the Scottish Government measures overall delivery and achievements of outcomes against the policy priorities it sets for tackling alcohol misuse through the performance management arrangements it operates with the NHS and through Single Outcome Agreements developed with Community Planning Partnerships.

Audiology

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it places on ensuring the best outcomes for deaf babies following diagnosis of hearing loss as a result of newborn hearing screening tests.

Shona Robison: Any child, following diagnosis of hearing loss, identified as a result of newborn hearing screening tests, will be referred to the paediatric department for a paediatric audiology diagnosis. Following the release of the Quality Standards for Adult Hearing Rehabilitation Services  in October 2008, the Scottish Government is currently developing paediatric quality standards to insure quality improvement within the paediatric audiology services. The Audiology Services Advisory Group now has a clinical champion role for universal newborn hearing screening and paediatric audiology to support the quality improvement agenda.

Central Heating Programme

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which costs it covers to install an oil-fired central heating system under the central heating programme.

Stewart Maxwell: The cost to install a standard oil-fired heating system of up to seven radiators with all necessary insulation is covered, up to the cap limit, which was introduced by the previous administration in January 2007. However, it is unlikely that a householder would be required to make a contribution if they selected a lower cost system from those available (normally an electrical system).

Central Heating Programme

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding sources are available to elderly people who are required to make a contribution to their central heating installation under the central heating programme.

Stewart Maxwell: When the cap was introduced in January 2007 by the previous administration they did not introduce any separate funding sources to cover householders contributions. However, it is unlikely that a householder would be required to make a contribution if they selected a lower cost system from those available (normally an electrical system).

Civil Service Relocation

Alasdair Allan (Western Isles) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what it will do to ensure that public sector jobs are dispersed throughout Scotland.

John Swinney: In January I set out the Scottish Government’s relocation policy. Our approach is based on making better use of the existing government estate, securing value for money and ensuring the operational effectiveness of individual bodies.

  Where those tests can be satisfied, relocation of organisations will remain an option.

  We will also continue to explore opportunities for the relocation of small units within the Scottish Government to remote and rural locations under the Small Units Initiative.

Community Wardens

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities combine the role of community warden with that of traffic warden.

Fergus Ewing: At present, Aberdeen City Council is the only local authority that plans to combine the role of community warden with that of traffic warden. This new service was proposed in early 2008 and is scheduled to begin in January 2009. The scheme will combine the currently separate roles of community warden, parking enforcement officer and environmental warden.

Contraception

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive at what age young people can be given free contraception, including emergency contraception, without the knowledge of their parents.

Shona Robison: There is no minimum age in Scotland in terms of legal capacity to consent to medical treatment.

  The Age of Legal Capacity (Scotland) Act 1991 assigns various legal rights to young people including the legal capacity to consent to surgical, medical or dental procedure or treatment, should a medical doctor deem that they have capacity to do so.

  In terms of sexual health services, professionals will always encourage young people to involve their parents/carers or someone they can trust in decisions which they are facing.

  Health professionals will also make clear to young people under 16 that if any issue raised by the young person during a consultation highlights child protection concerns then these concerns will be reported through the relevant reporting mechanisms.

Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current establishment and number of staff employed by the Crown Office are and how this compares with May 2007.

Elish Angiolini QC: The current number of budgeted posts in Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is 1,676.9. As at 31 October 2008 the number of staff in post was 1,592.3.

  In May 2007 the number of budgeted posts was 1,553.1 and the number in post was 1,498.5.

Finance

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date Scottish ministers first made an official request to HM Treasury for funding linked to (a) the fossil fuels levy, (b) council tax benefit, (c) London Olympics regeneration spending, (d) prisons spending and (e) police and firefighter spending.

John Swinney: Representations to HM Treasury, by or on behalf of Scottish ministers, for funding linked to (a) the fossil fuels levy on 30 July 2007, (b) the suspension of the council tax benefit mechanism on 9 July 2007, (c) London Olympics regeneration spending on 9 July 2007, (d) prisons spending on 31 January 2008 and (e) police and firefighter pensions commutations on 27 February 2008.

Finance

Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the monthly rate of building cost inflation was between May 2007 and October 2008.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not centrally collect nor centrally hold information which would allow calculation of building cost inflation, in respect of projects funded by public bodies subject to the Scottish Public Finance Manual. Building cost inflation data is produced by the building cost information service of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. The "general building cost index" is produced at UK level only and is not able to be broken down to national or regional figures.

  BCIS general Building cost index details are in the following table:

  

 Year
 2007
 2007
 2007
 2007
 2007
 2007


 Month
 May
 June
 July
 August
 September
 October


 Status
 Firm
 Firm
 Firm
 Firm
 Firm
 Firm


 Index
 264.9
 265.3
 270.6
 271.5
 271.7
 271.8


 Percentage Change
 0.5%
 0.2%
 2.0%
 0.3%
 0.1%
 0.0%



  

 Year
 2007
 2007
 2008
 2008
 2008
 2008


 Month
 November
 December
 January
 February
 March
 April


 Status
 Firm
 Firm
 Firm
 Firm
 Firm
 Firm


 Index
 271.7
 271.8
 272.0
 274.4
 275.8
 277.0


 Percentage Change
 -0.0%
 0.0%
 0.1%
 0.9%
 0.5%
 0.4%



  

 Year
 2008
 2008
 2008
 2008
 2008
 2008


 Month
 May
 June
 July
 August
 September
 October


 Status
 Firm
 Firm
 *Prov
 *Prov
 *Prov
 Forecast


 Index
 279.0
 279.9
 289.8
 291.1
 291.9
 292.6


 Percentage Change
 0.7%
 0.3%
 3.5%
 0.4%
 0.3%
 0.2%



  Note: *Prov = Provisional.

Fireworks

Shirley-Anne Somerville (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many firework-related injuries were recorded in each of the last five years for which information is available, broken down by local authority area.

Shona Robison: The information requested is not held centrally.

  However, Scotland level results from the Department of Trade of Industry (DTI) Fireworks Injuries Enquiry for Great Britain are available up to 2005 at www.isdscotland.org/fireworks.

  The UK-wide DTI survey has not taken place since 2005. Data consisted of all injuries caused by fireworks that required treatment in accident and emergency departments and burns/plastic surgery units in Scotland during a period spanning mid-October to mid-November when sales of fireworks are traditionally at their height. These data are not available at local authority level.

  Data on hospital discharges as a result of a firework-related injury indicate that only a very small number of individuals are admitted to hospital for this reason each year. These admissions are spread across local authorities, the majority having less than five cases over the five year period 2003-04 to 2007-08. There is no particular pattern across areas or years.

  

 
 Financial Year of Discharge


 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
2007-08P


 Scotland
 9
 15
 8
 7
12



  

 
 Financial Year of Discharge


 2003-04 to 2007-08P


 City of Edinburgh
 6


 Glasgow City 
 9


 South Lanarkshire 
 6


 All other Local Authorities
 *



  PProvisional.

  Source: ISD Scotland (SMR01).

  Note: *Values of 0 to 4 are not included in these tables.

Fireworks

Shirley-Anne Somerville (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of firework-related injuries occurred among (a) under-16s, (b) 16 to 20-year-olds and (c) over-20s, in each of the last five years for which information is available.

Shona Robison: Table 1 shows injuries caused by fireworks that required treatment in accident and emergency departments and burns/plastic surgery units in Scotland during the 33-day survey period around the fifth of November 2001 to 2005 (the most recent five years available) by age group.

  Table 1

  

 Age Group (Years)
 Survey Year


 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004
 2005


 0 to 15
 51 (58.0%)
 66 (55.9%)
 32 (45.1%)
 30 (44.8%)
 46 (50.0%)


 16 to 20
 12 (13.6%)
 12 (10.2%)
 14 (19.7%)
 11 (16.4%)
 11 (12.0%)


 21+
 25 (28.4%)
 40 (33.9%)
 25 (35.2%)
 26 (38.8%)
 35 (38.0%)



  Source: ISD Scotland, DTI Fireworks Injuries Survey 2005.

  A small number of individuals are admitted to hospital as a result of a firework related injury. Table 2 shows the number and proportion of hospital admissions as a result of a firework-related injury, broken down by age group, for financial years 2003-04 to 2007-08.

  Table 2

  

 Age Group (Years)
 Financial Year of Discharge


 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-082


 0 to 15
 4 (44.4%)
 3 (20.0%)
 5 (62.5%)
 2 (28.6%)
 6 (50.0%)


 16 to 20
 3 (33.3%)
 4 (26.7%)
 0
 3 (42.9%)
 2 (16.7%)


 21+
 2 (22.2%)
 8 (53.3%)
 3 (37.5%)
 2 (28.6%)
 4 (33.3%)



  Source: ISD Scotland (SMR01).

Fisheries

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support fishermen in the west of Scotland.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is taking a wide range of measures to support fishermen in the west of Scotland. Our current priority is to resist vigorously the EU Commission’s unjustified and disproportionate proposal to close fishing grounds which are of key importance to this fleet.

Flooding

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is responding to the points raised at the town hall meeting on flood management in Newmilns on 18 April 2008.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government has fully considered all of the points raised at each of the town hall meetings this year, such as the need to consider flooding from sewerage systems, as well as from rivers and flooding, and also the need for better communication and cooperation between all parties involved in flood risk management. This has helped us to shape the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Bill that is currently passing through the Scottish Parliament.

Health

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of P1 pupils was classified as (a) overweight, (b) obese and (c) severely obese in the last year for which information is available.

Shona Robison: Obesity statistics for children in P1 are collected through the Child Health Surveillance Programme. The most recent figures available are for school year 2006-07: 21.0% of children in P1 were overweight, including 8.5% who were obese and 4.3% who were severely obese. The full set of statistics and background notes are published on the NHS Information Services website at www.isdscotland.org/child_obesity (click on "Obesity Statistics and BMI background").

Homelessness

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people registered as homeless are housed in private rented accommodation paid for by local authorities and what the average cost of such accommodation is, broken down by local authority.

Stewart Maxwell: Private rented sector accommodation is used to address homelessness on both a temporary and more settled basis. The table below sets out the overall usage for 2007-08 as recorded via national homelessness statistics.

  Where a tenant is eligible for support with the cost of the rent, this is met in the main through housing benefit. The Scottish Government does not collect information centrally on the costs of private rented sector accommodation provided for homeless people, nor whether any additional costs are met by local authorities. The Department for Work and Pensions publishes statistics on the numbers of private tenants in receipt of housing benefit and the average rent allowance paid to private tenants. However these statistics do not separately identify those who have been assessed as homeless.

  

 Local Authority
Private Rented Sector Used Before Final Outcome
Private Rented Sector Used as Final Outcome


 Aberdeen City
 0
 6


 Aberdeenshire
 3
 37


 Angus
 31
 12


 Argyll and Bute
 50
 54


 Clackmannanshire
 4
 13


 Dumfries and Galloway
 1
 46


 Dundee City
 0
 71


 East Ayrshire
 2
 37


 East Dunbartonshire
 29
 35


 East Lothian
 12
 40


 East Renfrewshire
 0
 11


 Edinburgh
 0
 881


 Eilean Siar
 4
 16


 Falkirk
 10
 29


 Fife
 29
 200


 Glasgow City
 12
 200


 Highland
 14
 73


 Inverclyde
 9
 32


 Midlothian
 0
 14


 Moray
 1
 8


 North Ayrshire
 1
 31


 North Lanarkshire
 111
 71


 Orkney
 1
 15


 Perth and Kinross
 4
 42


 Renfrewshire
 5
 30


 Scottish Borders
 6
 33


 Shetland
 0
 13


 South Ayrshire
 1
 58


 South Lanarkshire
 136
 53


 Stirling
 9
 18


 West Dunbartonshire
 0
 11


 West Lothian
 4
 38


 Scotland
 489
 2,228

Housing

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many more accessible properties are required across Scotland according to the Scottish House Condition Survey.

Stewart Maxwell: The number of further, accessible households required can only be answered indirectly by the data in the Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS). The SHCS is a sample survey and therefore all figures are estimates rather than precise counts.

  We estimate that there are 436,000 dwellings which have hardstanding of suitable width and step-free access for wheelchair users in Scotland. For all dwellings to be accessible in this way there are a further 1,879,000 dwellings which need to be adapted.

  The SHCS found, in 2005-06, that there were 421,000 households with at least one person who has a mobility or physical impairment.

  Ninety thousand of these households have access with hardstanding of suitable width and step-free access for wheelchair users; in 70,000 of these households their dwellings do not need further adaptation for them to get around their dwellings; the remaining 20,000 households do need some further adaptation to their dwelling in order to get around it.

  Of the remaining 331,000 households, none of which have suitable access for wheelchair users, 229,000 households need no further adaptation to their dwelling to get around the dwelling, but 102,000 households do need further adaptation to get around their dwelling.

Justice

Keith Brown (Ochil) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an update on how the fiscal fines system is working.

Kenny MacAskill: Fiscal fines are now widely used across the country.

  They provide a proportionate and swift response to certain types of offending, which spares victims and witnesses from appearing in court, and allows court time to be focussed on more serious offences and cases in which guilt is denied.

Licensing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many off-licence premises there were in 2008 and, of these, how many received a test-purchase visit as permitted under section 105 (2) of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.

Kenny MacAskill: Available figures indicate that there were 6,232 off-sales licences in force in Scotland at 31 December 2007. Between December 2007 and September 2008 1,180 off-sales premises were tested.

Maternity Services

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many premature babies were born and what percentage of births this represented in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board area.

Shona Robison: The information requested is supplied in the following table.

  Number and Percentage of Premature Babies by NHS Board of Residence - Year Ending 31 March:

  

 
 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006P
 2007P


 
 No.
 %
 No.
 %
 No.
 %
 No.
 %
 No.
 %


 Scotland
 3,976
 7.8
 4,348
 8.2
 4,179
 7.8
 4,328
 8.2
 4,233
 7.6


 Ayrshire and Arran
 323
 9.4
 315
 8.7
 337
 9.2
 367
 10.0
 334
 8.7


 Borders
 64
 6.6
 74
 7.5
 61
 5.9
 58
 6.0
 58
 5.5


 Dumfries and Galloway
 107
 8.1
 95
 7.2
 104
 7.5
 122
 8.8
 135
 9.3


 Fife
 270
 7.7
 273
 7.5
 239
 6.4
 254
 6.8
 274
 7.0


 Forth Valley
 229
 8.1
 241
 8.1
 214
 6.8
 220
 7.0
 216
 6.7


 Grampian
 484
 9.1
 434
 8.4
 440
 8.2
 459
 8.5
 482
 8.2


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 1,014
 8.1
 1,158
 9.0
 1,143
 8.7
 1,156
 8.9
 1,028
 7.8


 Highland
 177
 6.6
 208
 7.4
 203
 7.2
 233
 8.2
 205
 7.4


 Lanarkshire
 375
 6.3
 474
 7.8
 453
 7.3
 464
 7.9
 457
 7.2


 Lothian
 583
 7.3
 679
 8.1
 662
 8.0
 678
 8.0
 635
 7.3


 Orkney
 5
 3.0
 23
 14.5
 16
 8.8
 9
 4.9
 15
 7.4


 Shetland
 8
 3.6
 14
 6.1
 17
 7.3
 11
 4.9
 19
 7.1


 Tayside
 283
 7.6
 330
 8.2
 234
 6.5
 266
 7.2
 322
 8.0


 Western Isles
 10
 4.1
 10
 4.1
 19
 8.6
 12
 5.4
 20
 7.2



  Source: ISD Scotland (SMR02).

  Note: Figures for 2006 and 2007 are provisional.

Mental Health

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been treated for depression in the NHS Lothian area in each year since 1999.

Shona Robison: The information requested is not held centrally.

  However, the following table gives information on psychiatric in-patient discharges (i.e. not the whole number of treatments) since 1999 who had a main diagnosis of depression and were resident in the NHS Lothian area.

  Year of Discharge (12 Months to 31 March)

  

 
 Number of Patients


 1999
 1,020


 2000
 965


 2001
 951


 2002
 905


 2003
 898


 2004
 852


 2005
 796


 2006
 755


 2007
 649


 2008 (provisional)
 650



  Source: Scottish Morbidity Record 04 (SMR04) in-patient discharges from psychiatric specialties.

Mental Health

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children under the age of 16 have been treated for depression in the NHS Lothian area in each year since 1999.

Shona Robison: The information requested is not held centrally.

  Numbers of psychiatric in-patient discharges for patients of all ages, with a main diagnosis of depression in the NHS Lothian area, are being released in the answer to question S3W-17149 on 13 November 2008. However, for under-16s, these numbers are extremely small (under 10 in each of the years requested).

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Mental Health

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the cost to the economy in the Lothians region in each of the last five years of working days lost due to ill-health as a result of (a) depression and (b) other mental health problems.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17152 on 12 November 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Mental Health

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on tackling depression in the Lothians region in each year since 1999, also showing the year-on-year change.

Shona Robison: This information is not centrally held. The Information Services Division of NHS Scotland collect expenditure data as part of their cost book publications. These publications contain data on general psychiatric spending in Lothian Health Board but information on more specific areas of spending like depression is not collected.

Ministerial Cars

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the First Minister’s daily use of the Government Car Service, including start and end points, in September and October 2008.

John Swinney: The First Minister’s use of the Government Car Service during September and October 2008 is shown in the following table:

  

 Date
 Collection Address
 Destination


 1 September 2008
 Personal Address
 Glendoe Hydro Plant


 1 September 2008
 Glendoe
 Bute House


 1 September 2008
 Bute House
 National Gallery


 1 September 2008
 National Gallery
 The Tun


 1 September 2008
 The Tun
 Bute House


 2 September 2008
 George St
 Blind School, Craigmillar


 2 September 2008
 Blind School, Craigmillar
 St Andrew’s House


 2 September 2008
 St Andrew’s House
 Bute House


 3 September 2008
 Bute House
 Parliament


 3 September 2008
 Parliament
 Edinburgh Castle


 3 September 2008
 Edinburgh Castle
 Bute House


 4 September 2008
 Bute House
 Parliament


 4 September 2008
 Parliament
 Personal Address


 5 September 2008
 Personal Address
 Ardoe House


 5 September 2008
 Ardoe House
 Bute House


 5 September 2008
 Bute House
 Edinburgh Castle


 5 September 2008
 Edinburgh Castle
 Bute House


 6 September 2008
 Bute House
 Personal Address


 9 September 2008
 Personal Address
 St Andrew’s House


 9 September 2008
 St Andrew’s House
 Bute House


 10 September 2008
 Bute House
 St Andrews Square, Edinburgh


 10 September 2008
 St Andrews Sq
 Bute House


 10 September 2008
 Bute House
 Parliament


 10 September 2008
 Parliament
 Edinburgh Castle


 10 September 2008
 Edinburgh Castle
 Bute House


 11 September 2008
 Bute House
 Parliament


 11 September 2008
 Parliament
 Mecca Bingo, Fountainbridge


 11 September 2008
 Mecca Bingo, Fountainbridge
 Bute House


 12 September 2008
 Bute House
 Personal Address


 12 September 2008
 Personal Address
 Insch Golf Club


 12 September 2008
 Insch Golf Club
 Personal Address


 15 September 2008
 Personal Address
 Balmoral 


 16 September 2008
 Balmoral
 Bute House


 16 September 2008
 Bute House
 Chinese Consulate


 16 September 2008
 Chinese Consulate
 Bute House


 17 September 2008
 Great Stuart Street
 Donaldsons School, Linlithgow


 17 September 2008
 Donaldsons
 Assembly Rooms


 17 September 2008
 Assembly Rooms
 Parliament


 17 September 2008
 Parliament
 Ramada Jarvis Hotel, Livingston


 17 September 2008
 Ramada Jarvis Hotel, Livingston
 Hotel De Vin


 17 September 2008
 Hotel De Vin
 Bute House


 18 September 2008
 Bute House
 Rosyth


 18 September 2008
 Rosyth
 Parliament


 18 September 2008
 Parliament
 Strathclyde University


 18 September 2008
 Strathclyde University
 Bute House


 19 September 2008
 Bute House
 St Andrew’s House


 19 September 2008
 St Andrew’s House
 Bute House


 19 September 2008
 Bute House
 Personal Address


 22 September 2008
 Personal Address
 Victoria Quay


 22 September 2008
 Victoria Quay
 St Andrew’s House


 22 September 2008
 St Andrew’s House
 Bute House


 23 September 2008
 Bute House
 St Andrew’s House


 23 September 2008
 St Andrew’s House
 Bute House


 24 September 2008
 Bute House
 St Andrew’s House


 24 September 2008
 St Andrew’s House
 Parliament


 24 September 2008
 Parliament
 Bute House


 25 September 2008
 Bute House
 Parliament


 25 September 2008
 Parliament
 Dundas Castle


 25 September 2008
 Dundas Castle
 Bute House


 26 September 2008
 Bute House
 Dakota Hotel


 26 September 2008
 Dakota
 Hopetoun House


 26 September 2008
 Hopetoun House
 Personal Address


 27 September 2008
 Personal Address
 Fyvie Castle


 27 September 2008
 Fyvie Castle
 Personal Address


 28 September 2008
 Personal Address
 Forss


 29 September 2008
 Forss
 Thurso


 29 September 2008
 Thurso
 Personal Address


 29 September 2008
 Personal Address
 Birkhall


 30 September 2008
 Birkhall
 Personal Address


 30 September 2008
 Personal Address
 Dundee Airport


 1 October 2008
 Edinburgh Airport
 Parliament


 1 October 2008
 Parliament
 Bute House


 2 October 2008
 Bute House
 Parliament


 2 October 2008
 Parliament
 Bute House


 2 October 2008
 Bute House
 Parliament


 2 October 2008
 Parliament
 Dumfries House


 2 October 2008
 Dumfries House 
 Western Hotel, Ayr


 6 October 2008
 Personal Address
 School Of Forestry, Inverness


 6 October 2008
 School Of Forestry, Inverness
 Council Chambers, Inverness


 6 October 2008
 Council Chambers, Inverness
 Personal Address


 7 October 2008
 Personal Address
 St Andrew’s House


 7 October 2008
 St Andrew’s House
 Botanic Gardens


 7 October 2008
 Botanic Gardens
 Bute House


 8 October 2008
 Bute House
 George Hotel


 8 October 2008
 George Hotel
 Parliament


 8 October 2008
 Parliament
 Edinburgh Castle


 8 October 2008
 Edinburgh Castle
 Bute House


 9 October 2008
 Bute House
 Parliament


 9 October 2008
 Parliament
 10 George Street


 9 October 2008
 10 George Street
 Bute House


 10 October 2008
 Best Western Hotel Falkirk
 Marcliffe Hotel


 10 October 2008
 Marcliffe Hotel
 Personal Address


 11 October 2008
 Personal Address
 Hampden


 11 October 2008
 Hampden
 Personal Address


 13 October 2008
 Personal Address
 Bute House


 14 October 2008
 Bute House
 Tyndrum Street, Glasgow


 14 October 2008
 Tyndrum Street, Glasgow
 Glasgow Science Centre


 14 October 2008
 Glasgow Science Centre
 Hampden


 14 October 2008
 Hampden
 St Andrew’s House


 14 October 2008
 St Andrew’s House
 Bute House


 17 October 2008
 George Hotel Perth
 Elcho Court Perth


 17 October 2008
 Elcho Court
 George Hotel Perth


 21 October 2008
 Personal Address
 St Andrew’s House


 21 October 2008
 St Andrew’s House
 Bute House


 22 October 2008
 Bute House
 Personal Address


 23 October 2008
 Inverurie Paper Mill
 Aberdeen Airport


 24 October 2008
 Edinburgh Airport
 Maxim Office Park, Eurocentral


 24 October 2008
 Maxim Office Park, Eurocentral
 225 Bath Street, Sgurr


 24 October 2008
 225 Bath Street
 Meridian Court


 24 October 2008
 Meridian Court
 Thistle Hotel


 24 October 2008
 Thistle Hotel
 Bute House


 27 October 2008
 Kinross Service Station
 Alexander Dennis Falkirk


 27 October 2008
 Alexander Dennis 
 Stirling Castle


 27 October 2008
 Stirling Castle
 St Andrew’s House


 27 October 2008
 St Andrew’s House
 Bute House


 28 October 2008
 Bute House
 Edinburgh Airport


 28 October 2008
 Aberdeen Airport
 Personal Address


 29 October 2008
 Parliament
 Bute House


 30 October 2008
 Bute House
 Parliament


 30 October 2008
 Parliament
 Bute House


 30 October 2008
 Bute House
 Parliament


 30 October 2008
 Parliament
 Celtic Park - Young Scottish Muslim Awards


 30 October 2008
 Celtic Park
 Bute House


 31 October 2008
 Bute House
 Royal Burgess Golf Club


 31 October 2008
 Royal Burgess Golf Club
 Bute House

Ministerial Cars

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all occasions when a Government Car Service car has driven the First Minister or any other member of the Cabinet to or from the Glenrothes UK parliamentary constituency.

John Swinney: The following table covers all journeys arranged and driven by the Government Car Service to and from the Glenrothes UK Parliamentary constituency by the First Minister and his five Cabinet Secretaries; between 1 September and 3 November 2008.

  

 Date
 Collection Point
 Destination


 First Minister


 None
 
 


 Cabinet Secretary for Health And Wellbeing


 21 October 2008
 20 High Street, Markinch
 St Andrew’s House


 28 October 2008
 20 High Street, Markinch
 St Andrew’s House


 30 October 2008
 20 High Street, Markinch
 Parliament


 3 November 2008
 20 High Street, Markinch
 Geoff Shaw Centre, Toryglen


 Cabinet Secretary for Finance And Sustainable Growth


 24 October 2008
 20 High Street Markinch
 Inverkeithing Civic Centre


 Cabinet Secretary for Education And Lifelong Learning


 None
 
 


 Cabinet Secretary for Justice


 None
 
 


 Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs And The Environment


 3 November 2008
 Cupar. Veterinary
 20 High Street, Markinch

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what data it has on the number of children with myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Shona Robison: Such data are not held centrally at present.

  As you know, the Scottish Public Health Network (SPHN) is currently undertaking a needs assessment on CFS/ME. Part of that work will involve identifying or confirming current service provision in Scotland, and it will include an assessment of incidence and prevalence. The SPHN has indicated that, given the very different nature of service responses for children living with any long-term condition, it believes it would not be possible to include children at this stage without unpicking significant amounts of work. The SPHN has however widened the scope of the assessment to recognise the issue of transition to adult services.

  To complement the work of the needs assessment, we have provided Action for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis with funding to develop advice for GPs. This is of particular importance, as it will include agreed clinical and diagnostic criteria for ME. A draft is currently out for consultation.

Parliamentary Questions

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide a substantive answer to question S3W-13109, which received a holding reply on 3 June 2008.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13109 on 13 November 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Police

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the requirements are for recruits to the police service and whether the standards have changed in the last 18 months.

Kenny MacAskill: The requirements of recruits to the Scottish police service are set out in regulation 9 of the Police (Scotland) Regulations 2004. The standards set out in these regulations have not changed in the last 18 months.

  Each new recruit to the Scottish police service is faced with the same stringent standards to ensure there is no reduction in the calibre of officer policing our communities.

  Recruitment procedures associated with the regulations are subject to constant review by police forces to ensure best practice is being applied.

Public Bodies

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-11865 by John Swinney on 14 May 2008, whether it will provide the information on the public bodies, groups or committees to enable it to be published in the Official Report , in addition to its publication on the Scottish Government’s website.

John Swinney: The information requested has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 45758).

  Details have also been placed on the Scottish Government website at:

  www.scotland.gov.uk/consultative-groups

  www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/public-bodies/Simplification-Tracker.

  The information will be updated on a six monthly basis.

Renewable Energy

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many renewable energy projects Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has objected to on environmental grounds, in particular in relation to the proposed height of turbines, and how many have been delayed as a result.

Michael Russell: I refer Alex Neil to the answer which Jim Mather, Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism gave to his question on 11 September 2008 (S3O-4146) on Renewable Energy Planning Applications (Objections).

  Delays in dealing with planning applications arise for a number of reasons. We have made clear our commitment to carrying forward a programme for modernising the planning system to reduce any unreasonable delays in decision processes.

  SNH has a statutory responsibility to advise ministers and public bodies on issues relating to the sustainable management of the natural environment. The height of turbines within a development is likely to be only one consideration in assessing the overall impact of any particular proposal. There are therefore no records kept of the number of objections SNH makes on the specific basis of turbine height. However, what the records do indicate is that since 2006, SNH has commented on 1,184 applications for wind farm projects; but objected to less than 5% of these and made conditioned objections in only a further 4% of cases.

  Of course, local authorities will and must decide any applications on its merits. It is the local authorities that makes the final decision, not SNH.

Residential Care

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been in hospital awaiting a care home bed in the (a) Highland, (b) Moray, (c) Argyll and Bute, (d) Shetland, (e) Western Isles and (f) Orkney council areas in each of the last eight quarters.

Shona Robison: The information requested is provided in the following table. This is extracted from the delayed discharge census for each of the last eight quarters and is based on the principal reason codes that suggest the outcome for the patient on discharge will be a care home place. In some cases however the actual move may not be possible at the census point.

  Patients in Hospital Awaiting a Care Home bed1 by Local Authority2.

  

 
October 2007
January 2007
April 2007
July 2007
October 2008
January 2008
April 2008
July 2008


 Argyll and Bute
 9
 7
 6
 12
 4
 10
 17
 18


 Highland
 1
 9
 7
 21
 17
 15
 9
 14


 Moray
 16
 13
 15
 7
 12
 -
 3
 4


 Orkney Islands
 2
 3
 3
 4
 2
 2
 3
 2


 Shetland Islands
 -
 -
 -
 10
 5
 8
 8
 13


 Eilean Siar
 5
 8
 3
 7
 9
 5
 5
 6



  Source: ISD Scotland.

  Notes:

  1. Patients in hospital ready for discharge and awaiting a care home bed are defined as those who have the principal reason for their delayed discharge as; non-availability of public funding to purchase residential/nursing home place; awaiting place availability in local authority residential home, in independent residential home, in nursing home (not NHS funded) or patient exercising statutory right of choice, where an interim placement is not possible or reasonable.

  2. Local authority is based on those patients resident in each local authority area.

School Meals

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities that introduce free school meals for all P1 to P3 pupils will still be able to give priority to those children most in need.

Adam Ingram: Yes. Our children and young people most in need are already entitled to free school meals and this government is taking action to extend entitlement so that more children in need will benefit from free nutritious school meals.

  As well as the jointly agreed concordat commitment with COSLA that all local authorities will provide free nutritious school meals to all P1 to P3 pupils from August 2010, we also have a commitment to extend entitlement to free school meals to all primary school and secondary school pupils whose parents or carers are in receipt of both maximum child tax credit and maximum working tax credit from August 2009.

Scottish Water

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that Scottish Water would be acting in the spirit of the law if it reverted to applying water charges when a charity changes premises, rather than continuing the present charitable organisations’ exemption.

Stewart Stevenson: The conditions for exemption are set down under the Water and Sewerage Charges (Exemption) (Scotland) Regulations 2002. Ministers expect that Scottish Water and its retail subsidiary will apply the exemption if Scottish Water determines that these conditions are fulfilled.

Sport

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is available for multi-use games areas where there is a need and desire for such a community facility and there is no local authority funding.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government is committed to supporting the development of quality facilities where these are consistent with the priorities as set out in the facility strategies of local authorities and/or sports governing bodies. Funding may be available from sportscotland subject to an application meeting the relevant programme criteria including the need for a partnership contribution from the applicant and other sources.

St Andrew's Day

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all the Saltire-branded products that it has commissioned or produced for the purpose of celebrating St Andrew’s Day 2008.

Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government purchase a range of branded merchandise for promotional purposes throughout the year, and some or all of the items from the following list will be used for St Andrew’s Day.

  Scotland branded items with logo and url www.scotland.org.

  Plastic pens

  Saltire pin badge

  Rope handled gift bags

  Lanyards

  Post it notes

  Rain capes

  Mousemats – various images from our image bank

  Stress balls

  Chrome keyrings

  Balloons

  Umbrellas (for Ministerial engagements)

  Eco friendly Cotton shopper

  Water bottles

  Bookmarks

  Notepads

  Handshake brochure.

  Non-branded items

  Saltire flags

  Bunting – outdoor

  Face transfers

  Hand held flags.

St Andrew's Day

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all the agencies, organisations, public bodies and public services that it has provided with Saltire flags for the purpose of celebrating St Andrew’s Day 2008 and what the total cost was.

Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government is providing merchandise packs, which include a Saltire flag in each for the purpose of St Andrew’s Day 2008 activities to the following organisations:

  Businesses

  Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc

  HBOS plc

  Wood Group plc

  John Menzies plc

  Weir Group plc

  Arnold Clark Automobiles Ltd

  City Facilities Management UK Ltd

  Clydesdale Bank plc

  Prudential plc

  Sodexho

  Sodexho Prestige

  Cairn Energy plc

  Robert Wiseman Dairies plc

  Jacobs UK Ltd

  Mackay Stores Group Ltd

  DC Thomson & Co Ltd

  Turner Group

  J&J Denholm

  Aggreko plc

  Aggreko UK Ltd

  Lloyds TSB Scotland

  Babcock Marine (Faslane)

  Babcock Marine (Rosyth)

  Babcock Rail

  Simclar Group Ltd

  Malcolm Group Ltd

  CJ Lang & Son Ltd

  RGB Ltd

  City Building (Glasgow) LLP

  Bonar Yarns & Fabrics Ltd

  Quarriers

  Bosch Rexroth Ltd

  Dobbies Garden Centres plc

  Cornerstone Community Care

  Enable Scotland

  Galliford Try plc

  Alexander Dennis Ltd

  Ineos Manufacturing Scotland Ltd

  Axle Group Holdings Ltd

  Caledonian MacBrayne

  Forth Ports plc

  Park’s of Hamilton Ltd

  G1 Group plc

  Walkers Shortbread Ltd

  Baxters Food Group

  The Scotsman

  The Herald

  Globespan Group plc

  Scottish Daily Record & Sunday Mail

  Dunfermline Building Society.

  Associated Scottish Visitor Attractions

  Camera Obscura

  Edinburgh Zoo

  Mercat Tours

  Highland Wildlife Park

  Scottish Mining Museum

  Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park

  Wallace Monument

  National Museum Scotland

  Jacobite Cruises

  Loch Lomond SEA LIFE Centre

  The Scottish SEA LIFE Sanctuary

  The Real Mary King’s Close

  Paisley Museum, Art Galleries and Observatory

  The Scottish Parliament

  The Scottish Whisky Experience

  Scottish Fisheries Museum

  New Lanark Visitor Centre

  Gretna Green

  Pictavia

  Loch Gruinart Nature Reserve, Islay

  Lochwinnoch Nature Reserve

  Mersehead Nature Reserve

  Vane Farm Nature Reserve.

  Historic Scotland sites

  Edinburgh Castle

  Stirling Castle

  Linlithgow Palace

  Craigmillar Castle

  Tantallon Castle

  Melrose Abbey

  Jedburgh Abbey

  Caerlaverock Castle

  New Abbey Corn Mill

  Dumbarton Castle

  Doune Castle

  St Andrew’s Cathedral

  St Andrew’s Castle

  Dunfermline Abbey

  Arbroath Abbey

  Edzell Castle & Garden

  Urquhart Castle

  Fort George

  Elgin Cathedral

  Huntly Castle

  Skara Brae

  Tourist Information Centres around Scotland.

  Sports partnership

  Scottish Rugby Union

  Scottish Football Association.

  Schools

  All schools and pre-schools in Scotland details in the answer to question S3W-17348.

  International activity

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  Scottish Development International

  Scots Diaspora organisations.

  The cost of the Saltire flags is £23,050 which includes the costs of flags for all schools and pre-schools, known events at home and overseas and direct marketing.

St Andrew's Day

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive where all the Saltire flags procured for the purposes of celebrating St Andrew’s Day 2008 were manufactured.

Linda Fabiani: The Saltire flags were manufactured in the Far East. These flags were all sourced from Scottish Government approved suppliers according to procurement guidance. The buying decision is made on quality, price and required delivery time.

  The Saltire flags are part of our range of branded merchandise for promotional purposes throughout the course of the year, and some of these will be used for St Andrew’s Day 2008 taking place at home and overseas.

  In 2007 and 2006 the same supplier arrangements were in place.

St Andrew's Day

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Saltire-branded space hoppers it has ordered for the purposes of celebrating St Andrew’s Day 2008; where they were manufactured; what the item price is, and what the overall cost was of production.

Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government has not ordered any Saltire-branded space hoppers for the St Andrew’s Day celebrations. Space hoppers used in the St Andrew’s Day launch photocall on Friday 31 October 2008 belong to the PR company used by the Scottish Government for the delivery of St Andrew’s Day events.

Vaccines

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the vaccine to protect against the human papilloma virus is safe in the presence of other medical conditions, including diabetes.

Shona Robison: The vaccine is safe for girls whose immune systems may not be fully functioning because of long-term conditions or medication, but it may not work as effectively for them.

  The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), who are responsible for the safety of medicines available on the UK market, are not aware of any specific risks to diabetic patients.

Vaccines

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what information and advice is given to girls prior to receiving the human papilloma virus vaccine.

Shona Robison: Girls and their parents/carers are given an information leaflet and a question and answer booklet at the same time as the consent form. A DVD was produced for use in schools to aid nurses deliver pre-immunisation talks to girls. The information given at the pre-immunisation talks is developed and delivered by individual NHS boards.

  All communication materials signpost girls and their parents to the HPV public information website and the NHS 24 helpline number if they wish further information.

Vaccines

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all girls are given the opportunity to discuss any issues relating to the vaccine to protect them against the human papilloma virus (HPV) to vaccination.

Shona Robison: Pre-immunisation talks are held in schools prior to immunisation. Girls will have an opportunity to ask questions during or following these sessions.

  The leaflets issued advise girls and their parents/carers to speak with the nurse or doctor if they wish more information.

  Girls and their parents/carers are also signposted to the HPV public information website and the NHS 24 helpline number if they wish further information.

Vaccines

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why the vaccine to protect women against the human papilloma virus is given in schools as opposed to GP surgeries.

Shona Robison: The UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is an independent committee of medical and scientific experts who make recommendations to both the UK Government and devolved administrations on all immunisation issues. The JCVI arranged an independent peer review of the cost benefit analysis which found this to be the most cost effective approach. In addition research has shown that both girls and parents generally find this setting more acceptable.

Youth Crime

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address youth violence in the east end of Glasgow.

Fergus Ewing: The government is committed to tackling all forms of violence across the whole of Scotland, including in the east end of Glasgow, and will continue to work with and support the Violence Reduction Unit and other partners to make our communities safer places to live and work through sustained and tough enforcement, education initiatives, and intervening early to support those most at risk.